I am an emeritus professor from Cornell University and was a Commissioned Lay Preacher in the Presbyterian Church (USA). For many years I have followed the Daily Lectionary as printed in the Mission Yearbook of my church. For each day of a two-year cycle, the lectionary lists four psalms and three other scriptural passages--usually one from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament. My practice is to copy down a verse or two from one of the psalms and from each of the other three passages. After I have written out all four selections, I reflect upon them, rearrange their order, and incorporate them into a meditation. Sometimes I retain much of the original wording; sometimes all that remains of a selection is an idea that was stimulated when I read the original words. All selections are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. For the Daily Lectionary, see the link below.


To the Emperor and to God--June 14, 2011


Jesus made it sound simple, God:
the emperor gets his,
and we give you yours.

The claims of the emperor are fairly clear;
but God, how do we decide
what belongs to you?

You gave Hannah a son,
in answer to her prayer;
and she gave him back.

That must have been hard for Hannah;
she had to forgo the blessing
of living in unity with her child.

Later you gave your Son to us
(that must have been hard for you),
and Mathias gave up everything

to be his apostle.
How very small
the things I give to you!


Lectionary Readings
Ps. 42; 146; 102; 133
1 Sam. 1:21-2:11
Acts 1:15-26
Luke 20:19-26

Selected Verses
Ps. 133:1
How very good and pleasant it is
      when kindred live together in unity!

1 Sam. 1:28b
[Hannah] left [her weaned child Samuel] there [with Eli in the house of the LORD at Shiloh] for the LORD.

Acts 1:26
And [the eleven apostles] cast lots for [Barsabbas and Matthias], and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Luke 20:25
[Jesus] said to [the spies sent by the scribes and chief priests], “Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Posted by Elmer E. Ewing

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